Toilet construction



D 5, 1967 w. F. KATONA ETAL 3,356,221

I TOILET CONSTRUCTION Filed OCt. 31, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 YTJVENTORE. j 2 IV/ZZM/MKA/ATOM.

[ Jm/ 5 AZZf/V A Till-59k?) i 1967 w. F. KATONA ETAL 3,356,221

TOILET CONSTRUCTION Filed Oct. 51, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent )fidce 3,356,221 TOILET CONSTRUCTION William F. Katona, Northridge, and Jon E. Allen, Inglewood, Califi, assignors to Monogram Industries, Inc., a corporation of California Filed Oct. 31, 1966, Ser. No. 590,757 7 Claims. (Cl. 210-360) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A toilet system having a rotating pump element in a rotating filter basket with 'both being rotated by a single motor for recirculating flushing fluid, the filter basket being in the form of a perforate cylindrical cup with an integrally formed gear for driving the same and with an upper internal portion providing a bearing surface and with a stationary comb element cooperating with annular grooved portions of the filter basket to clean the same, such pump element being mounted on a shaft having gear teeth formed thereon and a single gear interconnects such gear teeth on the shaft with the integrally formed gear on the filter basket.

The present invention relates to toilet constructions which are particularly useful for installation in house trailers, boats, buses, or in other mobile, semimobile or stationary installations.

The construction described herein involves generally a tank assembly including a toilet bowl with a filter-pump assembly, such filter-pump assembly being releasably mounted within the tank assembly to recirculate flushing fluid. The present invention provides an improved filterpump assembly which is relatively simple in construction, inexpensive, durable and easy to assemble and disassemble for repair and replacement purposes.

It is therefore a general object of the present invention to provide an improved toilet construction of the character indicated above using a new filter-pump assembly.

A specific object of the present invention is to provide an improved filter-pump assembly having the desired qualities indicated above.

Another specific object of the present invention is to provide an improved filter-pump assembly in which a filter basket and a pump element are driven at different speeds using a novel gearing arrangement with such gearing arrangement being located near the basket and the pump element.

The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. This invention itself, both as to its rganization and manner of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may be best understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is generally a top plan view of a construction embodying features of the present invention;

FIGURES 2 and 3 are sectional views taken as indicated by the corresponding lines 22 and 33 in FIGURE 1;

FIGURES 4 and 5 are sectional views taken as indicated by the corresponding lines 4-4 and 5-5 in FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken generally as indicated by the lines 6-6 in FIGURE 2.

Referring to the drawings the construction illustrated includes generally a tank assembly 10, a filter-pump assembly 20 (also referred to as a cartridge), a filling tube construction 40 and a hose 50 which intercommunicates the outlet of the pump-filter assembly 20 with a generally L-shaped fitting 11 formed integrally with the bowl 12 of the assembly 10.

3,356,221 Patented Dec. 5, 1967 The tank assembly 10 involves a hollow body or housing 13 which is filled with water W preferably containing chemicals for various usual purposes.

The bowl 12 of plastic material like the housing 13 is bonded along contacting adjacent faces 12A and 13A. The container 13 is integrally formed with the lower skirt or base portion 13A which rests on a supporting structure illustrated as flooring F of a house trailer.

A dump valve construction 14 is housed within the skirt or base portion 13A and its actuating member 14A is accessible for hand operation whereby such valve 14 may be opened or closed manually, such valve construction 14 and its interconnection between the outlet opening 13C of housing 13 and a discharge pipe or conduit C is more fully described in the copending application of Norbert J. Palmer, Ser. No. 438,500 filed Mar. 10, 1965, such patent application being assigned to the same assignee. Thus when it is desired to empty the housing 13 the valve 14 is moved to its open position and after the contents have been drained, the valve 14 is closed and the tank or container 13 (after cleaning or rinsing as described later) may again be filled with water introduced through the pipe 41 of the filling tube assembly 40. For this purpose, as seen in FIGURE 3, the pipe 41 terminates at the water line W 13E of container 13, is cut angularly or bevelled and a deflecting plate 41A is welded to the bevelled end so as to produce an inexpensive nozzle for directing the incoming water in the direction indicated by the arrow 41B in FIGURE 3 so as to achieve a cleaning or rinsing action at the tank bottom 13E. During such cleaning achieved by the spray of water under pressure, the valve 14, of course, remains in an open position.

The tank 13 at its upper surface, pivotally supports conventional elements, namely, a seat S and a cover CS for the seat.

The construction of the filter-pump assembly 20 forms an important part of the present invention and involves a motor housing 21 within which the motor 22 is mounted, the electrical energization of such motor 22 being controlled by a switch which may be of various kinds located at one of many different places. As illustrated, the switch 23 for energizing the motor is operated by manually 0perated pushbutton 24 slidably mounted on the cover 25, the switch 23 being mounted on a bracket 25A connected at its upper end to the cover 25. Flexible and sufficiently long leads (not shown) connect the switch 23 to the motor 22 so that the cover may be moved relative to the housing 21 when desired as, for example, in assembly or in servicing of the switch 23 or motor 22.

As seen in FIGURE 6, the motor housing 21 is generally cup-shaped and has a supporting annular flanged portion 21A. A plurality of fastening screws 21C extend through such flanged portion 21A and corresponding apertured portions in an annular gasket 21D and into threaded portions of container 13. The motor 22 is secured by a plurality of fastening screws 22A, to the base of the housing 21 with the hub portion 22B of the housing of motor 22 being snugly received within the opening 21E so that for all intents and purposes the interior of the cupshaped housing 21 is sealed against the entrance of water.

A generally hollow supporting structure 26 in the nature of a spacer has an upper flanged portion 26A, such flanged portion 26A being releasably secured by means of screws (not shown) to the inside of the base portion 22F with a sealing gasket 27 therebetween. The lower end of this spacer structure 26 is releasably secured by screws (not shown) to a pump housing element 27.

This spacer structure 26 is formed with an internal wall portion 26A which is apertured to snugly receive a bearing 26B for a driving shaft 28, such shaft 23 at its upper end being coupled by means of coupling element 29 to 3 the output shaft 22G of motor 22, the lower end of shaft 28 being provided with a flat portion 28A which cooperates with a corresponding flat portion in the otherwise circular hub portion 30A of paddle wheel 30, the paddle wheel 30 being retained on the lower end of shaft 28 by a spring clip 31 which is releasably mounted within an annular grooved portion of shaft 28. It is observed also that the shaft 28 passes through a bearing portion 27A of pump housing element 27 so that the shaft 28 is engaged by the upper bearing 26B and also the lower bearing 27A.

It is also observed that an intermediate portion of shaft 28 is formed to provide a pinion gear 28C for meshing with an idler spur gear 33, the gear 33 being rotatably supported on a shaft 27A and extending into a closely fitting slotted portion 275 of pump housing 27, the shaft 27A being retained at its lower end by a pump housing cover element 27C and being retained at its upper end by a pivotal plate 27D which is normally secured to the housing element 27 by screw 27E.

The cover element 27C is in the nature of a centrally apertured disk with four blade portions 27G, 27H, 27], and 27K extending downwardly therefrom, it being noted in FIGURES 4 and 5 that such four plates extend radially with respect to the rotational axis of shaft 28 and are equally spaced circumferentially. This cover element 27C is releasably secured to the pump housing 27 by screws (not shown).

A filter basket 35 of the character described and claimed in the above-mentioned patent application Serial No. 438,500 is releasably secured to the pump housing element 27 using a pair of diametrically spaced wiper or comb elements 36. This basket 35, as seen in FIGURE 6, has an upper circular portion 35A which is loosely received within a cooperating grooved portion 27M of filter housing element 27. While such grooved portion 27M assures continued dimensional stability to the basket 35, the same is retained on the pumphousing element 27 by the pair of previously-mentioned elements 36, each of such elements 36 being secured at its upper end to the filter housing element 27 by a corresponding screw 36A.

Basket 35 is formed near its upper end with an internal gear portion 35C which meshes with the gear 33.

The basket 35, as illustrated, is generally cup-shaped with a solid base portion 35E. The circular wall portion, however, comprises a series of V-shaped annular portions 35D and such circular wall portion is provided with apertured portions between adjacent V-shaped portions 35D to allow vliquid to flow into the inner confines of the basket 35. This series of V-shaped ribs 35D are interconnected internally by eight equally circumferentially spaced rib portions 35F (FIGURE 5). The wiper or comb elements 36 are each formed with complementary V- shaped portions 36C interfitting between the annular grooved portions 356 between V-shaped portions 35D of the basket and in general provide a support for the basket 35 when and as the same is being rotated upon rotation of shaft 28. Such rotation of shaft 28 produces rotation of the paddle wheel 30 and basket 35 in opposite directions as indicated by the arrows 36 and 37 in FIG- URE 5.

As seen in FIGURE 5 it will be seen that the pump housing 27 is provided with a cavity portion, such cavity portion 27N being essentially a hollow cylindrical portion 27R within which the paddle wheel 30 rotates contiguous with a rounded V-shaped portion 27T that provides communication with the conduit portion 27P (FIG- URE 6), such conduit portion 27f of the pump housing element 27 being in communication with an aligned conduit portion 27F of the spacer element 26.

In operation of the assembly shown in FIGURES 5 and 6, when and as the shaft 28 is rotated by motor 22, the basket 35 and pump paddle 30 are rotated in opposite directions as indicated by the arrows 36 and 37 in FIG- URE 5, the pump paddle 30 being driven directly by shaft 28 whereas the basket 35 is rotated by engagement of the spur gear 33 with the basket internal gear portion 35C. Such rotation, of course, occurs in the fluid having a level as indicated in FIGURE 2, the liquid being indicated therein by the reference letter W. During such rotation the fluid W tends to be carried around with the rotating basket 35 as indicated by the series of arrows 38 at the upper part of FIGURE 5. However, as such fluid encounters the stationary supporting elements 36 for the basket, there appears to be a cavitation effect produced whereby the fluid tends to flow inwardly into the basket 35 as indicated also by the inwardly directed arrows 39. Fluid is thus entrapped between spaced basket webs or ribs 27F and as such basket 35 continues to rotate, the fluid thus entrapped tends to be conveyed along with the basket 35. However, the fluid thus tending to move with the basket interacts with the four stationary blades 27GHJ and K of the stationary pump cover element 27C with the result that the fluid is directed inwardly through the central opening 27N of the pump housing to the rotating paddle 30 which causes the fluid to be forced into the interconnecting conduits 27P and 26P and hose 50 (FIGURE 2) to the inlet fitting 11 of bowl 12. The fluid is thus recirculated through the bowl 12 from which it then again enters the container 13.

It will be seen that the filter-pump assembly 20 may be easily removed as a unit by first removing cover 25 and then the fastening screws 21C after which the assembly may be pulled upwardly through the opening in the upper surface of the container 13. Further, it will be seen that the component parts of the filter pump assembly 20 may be easily assembled and disassembled for repair and replacement purposes. In assembly, the gear 33 is positioned so that the shaft 27 may extend through the central hub portion of gear 33 after which the shaft retaining elements 27D and 27C may be rigidly secured to the pump housing element 27. However, prior to fastening of the housing cover element 27C the pump paddle 30 is slipped on the lower end of shaft 28 where it is retained upon installation of the split spring retaining washer 31 within an annular grooved portion of the shaft 28. The spacer element 26 may then be secured to the pump housing element 27. In the process of securing the upper end of the spacer element 26 to the motor housing 21, the upper end of shaft 28 is fitted within the coupling element 29. In this case the coupling element 29 is simply a sleeve having internal flat portions engageable with cooperating flat portions on the motor shaft 226 and drive shaft 28. In this assembly the motor 22 may initially be secured within its housing 21 and flexible leads from the motor 22 are connected to the switch 23 carried on the cover 25.

While the particular embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the invention in its broader aspects and, therefore, the aim in the appended claims is to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of this invention.

We claim:

1. In a filter-pump assembly of the character described, a pump housing structure; filter means; means mounting said filter means on said structure for rotation thereon; drive means on said filter means; said housing structure including a pump cavity; rotatable pump means in said cavity; a shaft within said housing structure; means mounting said pump means on said shaft; said shaft having drive means thereon; intermediate drive means; means rotatably supporting said intermediate drive means on said structure; said intermediate drive means coupling said shaft drive means to said filter drive means, said filter means including a generally cup-shaped element with said drive means thereon being an annular series of gear teeth; said shaft drive means including a series of gear teeth on said shaft; and said intermediate drive means comprising a single gear meshing with each of said series of gear teeth.

2. An assembly as set forth in claim 1 in which said pump housing structure includes a housing element and an elongated hollow spacer element having one end thereof releasably secured to said housing element; hearing means for rotatably supporting said shaft in said housing element and also in said spacer element; a motor; a motor housing structure enclosing said motor and releasably secured to the other end of said hollow spacer element; said motor having an output shaft; and coupling means coupling the first-mentioned shaft to said motor shaft.

3. An assembly as set forth in claim 2 in which said spacer element includes a pipe section in communication with said pump cavity.

4. An assembly as set forth in claim 1 in which said single gear is rotatably supported on a pin one end thereof being contacted by 'a cover plate and the other end of the pin being contacted by a releasable fastening element whereby said pin is retained in said housing structure.

5. An assembly as set forth in claim 4 in which said pump means comprises an impeller; cooperating flat surfaces between said impeller and said shaft; and a spring clip retaining said impeller on said shaft.

6. In a filter-pump assembly of the character described including a pump housing element having an annular grooved portion; a filter element comprising generally a cup-shaped element having a base portion and a cylindrical wall portion which terminates at a circular edge portion, said edge portion being loosely fitted in said grooved portion; a circumferential extending gear on the inner circular wall of said filter element and near said edge portion for driving said filter element about its axis; said filter element having an external circumferential grooved portion which lies in a plane that is substantially perpendicular to said axis; said grooved portion providing a bearing element for rotatably supporting said cup-shaped element; said pump housing element having a pump cavity; a pump impeller in said cavity; a shaft rotatably supported in said housing element and mounting said impeller, said shaft having gear teeth thereon; and a single gear meshing with the gear teeth on said shaft and also meshing with said gear on said filter element; said single gear being rotatably supported for rotation on said housing element about an axis which extends generally parallel with the axis of said shaft.

7. In a filter-pump assembly of the character described, a pump housing structure; filter means; means mounting 5 said filter means on said structure for rotation thereon;

drive means on said filter means; said housing structure including a pump cavity; rotatable pump means in said cavity; a shaft within said housing structure; means mounting said pump means on said shaft; said shaft having drive means thereon; intermediate drive means; means rotatably supporting said intermediate drive means on said structure; said intermediate drive means coupling said shaft drive means to said filter drive means, said filter means including a generally cup-shaped element with said drive means thereon being an annular series of gear teeth; said shaft drive means including a series of gear teeth on said shaft; and said intermediate drive means comprising a single gear meshing with each of said series of gear teeth, said housing structure including an apertured cover member forming one wall of said pump cavity with the apertured portion thereof forming a passageway for the flow of fluid from the interior of said cup-shaped element to said pump cavity; said cup-shaped element having an imperforate base portion and a perforate cylindrical wall; said cylindrical Wall terminating in an annular edge portion which is loosely fitted within a grooved portion of said housing structure; said cup-shaped element having a series of spaced internal rib portions which extend generally parallel with the axis of said cylindrical portion; said cover member having a series of spaced vane portions extending therefrom towards said base portion of said element for directing fluid flow radially inwardly from the interior of said cup-shaped element to said apertured portion. 35

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,100,482 11/1937 Irwine 210354 3,067,433 12/1962 Dietz et al 210-357 X FOREIGN PATENTS 712,433 10/1941 Germany.

REUBEN FRIEDMAN, Primary Examiner.

J. L. DE CESARE, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A FILTER-PUMP ASSEMBLY OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED, A PUMP HOUSING STRUCTURE; FILTER MEANS; MEANS MOUNTING SAID FILTER MEANS ON SAID STRUCTURE FOR ROTATION THEREON; DRIVE MEANS ON SAID FILTER MEANS; SAID HOUSING STUCTURE INCLUDING A PUMP CAVITY; ROTATABLE PUMP MEANS IN SAID CAVITY; A SHAFT WITHIN SAID HOUSING STRUCTURE; MEANS MOUNTING SAID PUMP MEANS ON SAID SHAFT; SAID SHAFT HAVING DRIVE MEANS THEREON; INTERMEDIATE DRIVE MEANS; MEANS ROTATABLY SUPPORTING SAID INTERMEDIATE DRIVE MEANS ON SAID STRUCTURE; SAID INTERMEDIATE DRIVE MEANS ON SAID SHAFT DRIVE MEANS TO SAID FILTER DRIVE MEANS, SAID FILTER MEANS INCLUDING A GENERALLY CUP-SHAPED ELEMENT WITH SAID DRIVE MEANS THEREON BEING AN ANNULAR SERIES OF GEAR TEETH; SAID SHAFT DRIVE MEANS INCLUDINGG A SERIES OF GEAR TEETH ON SAID SHAFT; AND SAID INTERMEDIATE DRIVE MEANS COMPRISING A SINGLE GEAR MESHING WITH EACH OF SAID SERIES OF GEAR TEETH. 